San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-12
30 N N IE doom.
A LOVE STORY.

Sne engagement led to another, and
he was astonished to find that three
weeks had passed as quickly as adream
He was slowly making up his mind, and
it seemed to him that love and not ambi-
ton would be his choice, for his thoughts
were filed with Bonnie Doon,-his long.
ing was always for her: but there was
no immediate cause for hurry, and he
wanted plenty of time.
All life turns on trifes; it is trifles
and not great events that shape our
course. II. in this letter that he sent
Bonnie Doom, he had enclosed his adj
dress t''p chances are that she would
lay" W item to him.-that her letter
wOUlt axe been so full of sorrow and
love. !. hing would have tempted him
to staT ~ .. AS it was. he sent no adj
Cr."s II did not know that Bonnie
Doom r;W " # his enGag mpnt: he did
not Fn v tat she VS. Il IN very
do " an-riSh and ii, SD: hecHrsP
she had been told that he was to be mar
ried early next year. If he had known
or guessed this, he would have left the
Queen herself to have gone to her.
In the meanwhile the tragedy deepen
ed at Larch Hill Farm. When the car
riage had driven away, Mrs. Vaughan
went up to Ruth's room. The girl lay
with her face hidden on the pillow, and
the mother heard the long-drawn bitter
sobS before she opened the door.
Ruth" she said, ''why you are cry
ing my dear. Is your head worsew
1T is no better" she replied. "Oh,
mother! are they gone, those terribly
fine ladiesp"
poor child" thought the kindly
mother; "they have tried her to death,
besides giving her sunstrOke."
"Yes, my dear" she replied. Il could
almost find it in my heart to say, Thank
Heaven they are gone But Ruth, my
dear, am concerned over you. | have
never seen you so i'll"
81 shall be better soon," said Ruth.
81 am tired"
She had Just begun to comfort herself
with the thought that when the ladies
were gone, she would go to him and ask
. him-ask him if it were true that he
was going to be married early next year.
If it were true, he would have some
thing to tell her, something to explain.
If it were false, he would take her to his
arms once more and call her his dear
love.
She would summon up all her courage
and 60 to him, he would be in the little
green drawing-room, and she would ask
him was it true or not. As the first
great shock of pain passed away, a faint
glimmering hope awoke in her heart
that, after all, it was not true; he had
never spoken of Lady May to her, or in
ferred in any way that he was going to
be married.
She would not quite believe it. If he
did not love her, why need he have pre-
tended to do SOP
81 am glad they are gone, said Ruth.
mother, is Mr.. st. John in the draw
ing-roomp / want to speak to him. If
60 to see him."
"Mr. st. Johnl" cried Mrs. Vaughan,
"why Ruth, thought you knew he
went with them"
"Went with whom mother?" she
asked.
"Why, with the two ladies, l thought
you knew"
Gone with them; gone with Lady May
whom he was to marry early next year!
There was long silence after the
words. Life seemed all ended to Bon
ME Doom; there was nothing left to
think for, hope for, or wish. She lay
quite still, spoke no word, she did not
raise her hands OF her eyes; but though
her heart and brain were paralysed, the
chill OF despair made the feeble form
tremble. The thing of which she was
most conscious was a terrible pain as
though her heart were breaking, pain
that was like the wound Of a sharp
knife. She tried to cry out, but she had
no voice. no power of raising it.
Not understanding the silence, her
mother came to her bedside.
81 must give you Mr.. st. Johns mes
sage, Ruth" she said. HE left you his
best love and his undying gratitude; he
babe me say that he should never for
get your kindness, and also, how sorry
he was to go without wishing you good
bye" But she forgot to add the words
that would have been new life to Bon
ME Doom, that he was coming back.
Her mothers voice seemed to come from
some long distance; the only words that
reached her clearly were these, "he was
sorry not to see you to say goodbye"
All! that terrible pain. She tried to
raise herself, to call her mother to help
her. Then came a bewildering sense of
agony; something seemed to give way
at her heart, her breath failed. To Mrs.
Vaughan's alarm she saw the fair head
fall back on the pillow, and from the
pale lips came stream of crimson
blood. In hot haste the farmer rode to
Aspendale; he brought back with him
the most skilled physician there, but he
had not much hone to give them.